<rss
xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"
xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"
><channel>
        <title>Christian Daily International | Africa</title>
        <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/africa</link>
        <description><![CDATA[Africa news from Christian Daily International providing biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every region, focusing on religious freedom, integrated gospel and other issues that are relevant for the global Church today.]]></description>
        <image>
            <title>Christian Daily International | Africa</title>
            <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/africa</link>
            <url>https://assets.christiandaily.com/img/logo.png</url>
        </image>
        <copyright>Christian Daily International © 2026</copyright>
        <language>en</language>
        <lastBuildDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:20:03 -0400</lastBuildDate>
        <atom:link href="https://www.christiandaily.com/africa?format=xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <atom:link href="https://www.christiandaily.com/africa" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
        <generator>Xiaoman</generator>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Government help sought to recover pastor’s wife, daughter in Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/government-help-sought-to-recover-pastors-wife-daughter-in-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/government-help-sought-to-recover-pastors-wife-daughter-in-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/55/5501.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Mercy Simon and daughter after Nov. 9, 2025 abduction in Borno state, Nigeria.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Facebook ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Mercy Simon and daughter after Nov. 9, 2025 abduction in Borno state, Nigeria. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:34:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Receiving a large ransom demand last month, a pastor in northeastern Nigeria learned that his wife and daughter, missing since November 2025, were kidnapped by Islamic terrorists, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Receiving a large ransom demand last month, a pastor in northeastern Nigeria learned that his wife and daughter, missing since November 2025, were kidnapped by Islamic terrorists, sources said.
Mercy Simon and toddler daughter Talita Simon were kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram rebels while traveling to Maiduguri, Borno state on the Buratai-Biu-Bunu Yadi road for her brother’s wedding on Nov. 9, said her husband, identifying himself only as Pastor Simon.
“She was the only person picked out from a vehicle they were traveling in because she is a Christian,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “And since the time she was kidnapped, I didn’t know what happened to her until September 2026, about a month ago, when her captors contacted me through WhatsApp to demand for a ransom of 50 million naira [$37,200] before they can release her.”
When he pleaded with them that he didn’t have such a large amount, they reduced the demand to 15 million naira ($11,160), he said, adding, “But after days of silence and waiting, they finally requested for 12 million naira [$8,927].”
Pastor Simon, from Chinene village in Gwoza County, had served in churches in the Chibok and Bama areas of Borno state, but Boko Haram attacks in the region forced him out of ministry, he said, adding that he has taken refuge in Mubi, Adamawa state.
He said the terrorists are holding 70 other Christians, and that five other Christians were released from captivity on Oct. 19 after their families paid ransoms.
Pastor Simon said he was traumatized, adding, “Things have not been easy for me since my wife and daughter were kidnapped. I am left to care for three children in her absence.”
“I’m pleading with the Nigerian president and those in authority to help secure the release of my wife and daughter. She is not the only person being held captive, as there are about 70 other Christians who are being held captive by their captors.”
Pastor Simon said he and other families of kidnapped Christians contacted Sen. Ali Ndume of the National Assembly, “but we have not heard from the authorities. We’ll not relent in our prayers and pleas for help for our family members in captivity.”
A council official from the area, Barka Iliyasu, confirmed the kidnapping to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
“Mrs. Mercy Simon and her daughter Talita, were kidnapped along the Buratai-Biu-Bunu Yadi-Damaturu road on 9th November 2025, and are still in captivity,” Iliyasu said. “The terrorists have reduced their demand from N50 million to N12 million, a sum the poor family still cannot afford.”
It is the primary responsibility of the government as enshrined in the Constitution to ensure the security and welfare of the people, he said.
“The silence of the government on these issues is deafening and painful,” Iliyasu said. “We cannot abandon them to their fate.”
Pastor Simon said he believes his wife and daughter are still alive.
“From the pictures you can see that the only dress she wore about a year ago is what she’s still wearing,” he said.
Area residents have also called on the government to take action.
“Her husband and family have not been able to raise the ransom,” Chawai Friday told other area residents. “The husband confirmed that Mercy and her daughter are still alive. And the daughter is reportedly not in good health. Let us pray that God will protect Mercy and her daughter, strengthen them in captivity, and open a way for their safe and immediate release.”
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year.
Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram, which seeks to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria, and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Authorities in Egypt hold Christian incommunicado]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/authorities-in-egypt-hold-christian-without-charges</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/authorities-in-egypt-hold-christian-without-charges</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5488.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Coptic Christian Sherif Wagih Fahmi was arrested in Egypt on Oct. 5, 2026 for his Facebook posts.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Screenshot from Coptic Solidarity video ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Coptic Christian Sherif Wagih Fahmi was arrested in Egypt on Oct. 5, 2026 for his Facebook posts. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:43:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Authorities in Egypt arrested a Coptic Christian this month for Facebook posts criticizing forced Islamic education of non-Muslims, while six young Copts detained over a TikTok video have been ordered released.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Authorities in Egypt arrested a Coptic Christian this month for Facebook posts criticizing forced Islamic education of non-Muslims, while six young Copts detained over a TikTok video have been ordered released.
Egyptian Security officers arrested Sherif Wagih Fahmi, a 41-year-old Coptic engineer, from his home in Alexandria on Oct. 5 and have been holding him incommunicado over his Facebook posts, according to Coptic Solidarity. Officers from the National Security Agency arrived at Fahmi’s home in military vehicles early in the afternoon, raided his house and took him into custody, the rights group stated. 
Fahmi was detained for his Facebook posts in recent weeks condemning educational policies that numerous human rights advocates say marginalize or even vilify the Christian minority, according to Coptic Solidarity and other organizations.
It was not clear exactly where Fahmi was being held. He has been charged with “contempt of Islam” but has not yet been given a case number to appear in court, according to Coptic Solidarity.
Religious instruction is compulsory for school-age children in Egypt. In theory, Christian children are allowed to opt out of Islamic classes, but this rule is often ignored, and Christian children are commonly forced to undergo Islamic education. In Arabic language and even social studies classes, Christians receive instruction with the Quran as the primary text, and students are made to memorize and even interpret quranic verses.
Some Egyptian textbooks have passages that insult Christians or conflict with the religious beliefs of non-Muslim students, according to a report issued by the Tahrir Institute.
“The education program is devoid of any lesson, text, or mention of other faiths or religions, with a total omission of Egyptian Christian or Jewish historical figures, or major non-Muslim religious holidays,” Ishak Ibrahim, a noted human rights researcher, states in the report. “The same goes for Coptic history, despite the fact that the Coptic Church played a prominent role locally or abroad in facing the Roman and Byzantine empires at the time.”
Fahmi’s disappearance comes as part of a long-standing and concerted effort by the Egyptian government to intimidate active Christians and those who challenge state denials of anti-Christian persecution on social media. On Wednesday (Oct. 21), the trial of another Christian detainee, Said Mansour Rezk Abdelrazek, was adjourned until Nov. 3 to allow the prosecution and defense to prepare their arguments. Defense attorneys will present their arguments on Nov. 3, according to Coptic Solidarity.
Abdelrazek, 30, a convert from Islam, is charged with contempt for Islam, inciting public disorder, disseminating false information and joining a banned terrorist organization, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. Multiple human rights groups, including Amnesty International, say Abdelrazek has been falsely charged as punishment for his conversion and attempts to change the religion designation on his national identification card.
Like Fahmi, Abdelrazek had an active presence on social media. In his most recent arrest, he has been held in custody since July 15, 2025.
In another incident this month involving internet speech, six Coptic males, one of them 17, were detained after they posted a video on TikTok of them reenacting a famous scene from a movie of a group of Muslim men attempting to pray.
The six Copts, all from Taha Al-Aamida village in Samalout, Minya Governate, began receiving online threats and were arrested Oct. 6 after villagers reported the video to police. Following an initial interrogation, a judge extended the detention of the six Copts. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights confirmed Monday (Oct. 26) that the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered they be released without bail while they await any future court proceedings, which have now essentially been placed on hold.
Several human rights groups have condemned the arrest as an unnecessary double standard being enforced to harass the Coptic minority. The movie scene has been acted out over the internet by Egyptian fans, most of them Muslim, thousands of times with no known prior incident.
The scene comes from “Khalawis” (“Ready Or Not”), a 2018 family comedy about the mistaken arrest of a 5-year-old boy. In the scene, a group of Muslim prisoners attempt to pray, only to realize they don’t know how to do so properly. The film was approved by state censors and appears on regular rotation in Egypt on satellite television.
The government accused the youths of mocking Islamic prayer and charged them with blasphemy, contempt of religion, and utilizing religion to spread extremist ideas. Prior to being charged, the youths deleted the video and apologized. The local Coptic diocese hosted a traditional reconciliation meeting to reduce village tensions without success.
At the same time, another Christian is appealing a five-year prison sentence with hard labor after being found guilty on Jan. 3 of “Contempt of Religion” and “misuse of social media.” Augustinos Samaan, a 37-year-old Coptic Christian researcher with a doctorate in Comparative Religion, hosted a YouTube channel as part of an online ministry explaining Christian theology. In his videos, he discussed the differences between Christianity and Islam and tried to rebut anti-Christian sentiment while seeking to minimize sectarian conflict.
What exactly brought Samaan to the attention of Egyptian authorities is unknown, but his site had more than 100,000 subscribers. He was arrested Oct. 1, 2025 in an early morning raid on his home by security forces. Legal observers say the charges against Samaan were frivolous, and that his trial, conducted in secret without counsel, was improper if not illegal.
A formal appeal, Samaan’s last, is scheduled for Nov. 15 before the Egyptian Court of Cassation.
Egypt has a long history of holding converts from Islam indefinitely in hopes they will eventually collapse under the pressure of endless imprisonment and then publicly recant their profession of faith in Christ. The case of Mohammed Hegazy was a notable example. The Egyptian government held Hegazy, a convert who gained national notoriety for trying to change the religion listed on his ID, for more than two and a half years without charge until he finally broke and on July 30, 2016 recanted his conversion on Youtube.
He has since revealed that his statement was made under duress and that he never abandoned his faith in Christ.
The Egyptian government also held Abdul-Baqi Saeed Abdo, a Yemeni convert from Islam, for more than two years in pretrial detention in an attempt to shatter his belief in Christ. Abdo, who has suffered severely for his faith, had an active internet presence discussing persecution of Christians in the Muslim world.
Abdo was never charged but, under intense international pressure, he was eventually released and deported. Another convert from Islam with an active internet presence, Nour Girgis, was arrested at the same time as Abdo and was released as well.
Egypt ranked 42nd on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Malawi Government defends economic recovery after Church raises alarm]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/malawi-government-defends-economic-recovery-after-church-raises-alarm</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/malawi-government-defends-economic-recovery-after-church-raises-alarm</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5482.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Malawi President Peter Mutharika]]></media:title>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ President Peter Mutharika government defended it's record saying it remained focused on what it calls the “Four Fs” of food, fuel, fertilizer and foreign exchange, describing the recovery trajectory as encouraging. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Malawi’s government has defended its economic recovery efforts after the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) called for urgent reforms, greater accountability and relief for households struggling with rising living costs and shortages of essential goods.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Malawi’s government has defended its economic recovery efforts after the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) called for urgent reforms, greater accountability and relief for households struggling with rising living costs and shortages of essential goods.
The government’s response came amid renewed fuel shortages, foreign exchange constraints and concerns about the delivery of public services, prompting church leaders to question whether economic recovery is improving the lives of ordinary Malawians.
Information and Communications Technology Minister Shadric Namalomba said on Oct. 14 that the government had taken note of concerns raised by the CCAP and its Church and Society programs.
The minister said the administration of President Arthur Peter Mutharika remained focused on what it calls the “Four Fs” of food, fuel, fertilizer and foreign exchange, describing the recovery trajectory as encouraging.
The government welcomed the church’s contribution to national development and called for patience, unity and collective effort as the country works to address its economic difficulties, Nyasa Times reported.
The CCAP, however, argued that policy commitments must translate into practical improvements for households facing economic hardship.
“Good intentions alone cannot fill fuel tanks, make medicines available, reduce the cost of living or put food on a struggling family’s table,” the church said in its statement.
The economic challenges have been visible in Malawi’s fuel supply. Reuters reported that motorists were sleeping overnight at petrol stations in Blantyre as shortages disrupted transport and livelihoods.
The government has attributed fuel supply problems to a shortage of foreign currency. The crisis has also affected transport operators whose earnings depend on access to petrol and diesel.
The shortages illustrate the difficulties facing businesses and households in an economy where access to foreign exchange affects the importation of essential commodities.
The CCAP called for transparent fuel procurement, stronger foreign exchange generation and investment in local industries to reduce the country’s vulnerability to supply disruptions.
It also urged the government to strengthen agricultural production through irrigation, climate-resilient farming, affordable inputs, storage facilities and agro-processing.
Other Christian bodies raise concerns
The CCAP is not the only Christian body to raise questions about Malawi’s economic conditions and public services.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) assessed Mutharika’s first year in office, covering October 2025 to October 2026, in a report published by the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation on Oct. 13.
The commission gave the administration a score of 3.75 out of six, describing its performance as a promising start while identifying continuing economic and public-service challenges.
It cited progress in food security, education and local development, including the introduction and funding of free secondary education and expanded performance-based financing for local councils.
However, the commission urged the government to improve access to foreign exchange, restore and diversify energy supplies, create jobs and strengthen public accountability.
It also called for greater independence and accountability in the work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The assessment offered a qualified picture of the government’s first year, recognizing reported gains while emphasizing that improvements must be sustained and translated into better public services.
Calls for accountability and reform
The CCAP also raised concerns about the management of public resources, including the Public Service Pension Trust Fund’s purchase of Amaryllis Hotel.
The church called for transparent updates and parliamentary oversight of the matter, which is under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. It emphasized that an investigation does not establish criminal guilt.
The church further called for accountability in the mining sector, improved access to essential medicines and stronger protection of civic space.
It urged political leaders to respect their constitutional responsibilities and ensure that political disagreements do not undermine public service delivery.
The CCAP’s statement, issued under the theme “When the Righteous Thrive, the People Rejoice,” called for an urgent national forum involving government, religious leaders, civil society and businesses to discuss the country’s challenges.
The Church and Society programs of the Blantyre and Livingstonia synods issued the statement, while the Nkhoma Synod expressed institutional solidarity after approval by its general secretary.
The government, meanwhile, said it welcomed constructive engagement with the church and urged Malawians to work together to consolidate economic progress.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Angola’s church registration rules raise concerns over religious freedom in Africa]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/angolas-church-registration-rules-raise-concerns-over-religious-freedom-in-africa</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/angolas-church-registration-rules-raise-concerns-over-religious-freedom-in-africa</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5486.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Luanda Church]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Natalia Zawiejska ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Angola’s Law on Religious Freedom and Worship, adopted in May 2019, requires religious groups seeking official recognition to provide 60,000 signatures from eligible residents. Pentecostal and other independent Christian groups in Angola have found the requirements difficult to meet. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:04:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Religious freedom advocates are questioning whether church registration requirements in Angola are making it difficult for smaller Christian communities to gain legal recognition, after African church leaders examined the issue at a continental theological symposium in Nairobi.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Religious freedom advocates are questioning whether church registration requirements in Angola are making it difficult for smaller Christian communities to gain legal recognition, after African church leaders examined the issue at a continental theological symposium in Nairobi.
The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) highlighted Angola's registration system during its seventh annual theological symposium, held Oct. 5-8 under the theme “Freedom of Belief and Persecution in Africa.” Participants examined how governments can regulate religious institutions without undermining the rights of religious minorities.
The Rev. Quelende Adriano, who presented on Angola, warned that high membership requirements for official church recognition can marginalize emerging and minority religious communities, according to the AACC’s report on the symposium’s conclusion.
The issue is particularly significant for Pentecostal and other independent Christian groups in Angola, where the legal requirements for recognition have been described as difficult for many congregations to meet.
A high threshold for recognition
Angola’s Law on Religious Freedom and Worship, adopted in May 2019, requires religious groups seeking official recognition to provide 60,000 signatures from eligible residents. At least 1,000 signatories must reside in each of the country's 18 provinces. Each signature and residency declaration must be notarized separately.
The requirements create financial and administrative hurdles for groups seeking recognition. Religious organizations must also submit documentation about their organizational structure, worship activities, financial resources and planned construction projects.
According to the U.S. State Department's 2023 International Religious Freedom Report on Angola, the government estimated that more than 1,200 religious groups remained unregistered, compared with 88 recognized groups at the time.
The report said unregistered religious groups had complained that the notarization and residency documentation requirements were expensive and burdensome. It also identified difficulties involving residency records and people without legal immigration status as additional obstacles.
The consequences extend beyond paperwork. Official recognition gives religious groups legal status and allows them to acquire property collectively and use it for religious activities. It also provides certain tax exemptions and legal standing as incorporated entities.
Open Doors, a Christian organization that monitors persecution, identified registration as a major challenge for church groups in its 2025 analysis of Angola.
“Registration remains one of the most challenging problems faced by thousands of Christian church groups in the country,” the organization reported.
Open Doors said the requirements had left numerous Pentecostal churches and other nontraditional Christian denominations unregistered, creating difficulties for groups seeking land and permission to construct places of worship.
The balance between regulation and rights
Angola’s case raises a broader question for African governments. Religious institutions may be subject to legitimate rules concerning public safety, financial accountability and the lawful use of property. The requirements, however, can become a barrier when communities cannot realistically meet them.
The AACC's symposium examined that tension, with participants arguing that state oversight should be proportional, transparent and nondiscriminatory.
The gathering also considered the gap between constitutional guarantees and the experiences of religious minorities.
At the symposium’s opening, AACC General Secretary the Rev. Fidon Mwombeki drew attention to forms of persecution that receive less public attention than physical attacks.
These include economic discrimination, legal marginalization and psychological trauma, according to the AACC's account of his remarks.
The conference’s second day featured Illia Djadi of the Arise Africa campaign, who highlighted the contrast between constitutional protections and continuing discrimination against religious communities.
“The liberty of belief is guaranteed in the constitutions of many African countries, excluding a few countries in North Africa and Somalia,” Djadi said, according to the AACC's report.
The symposium did not establish that every unregistered religious group in Angola has experienced persecution. Rather, its discussions highlighted how administrative requirements can affect religious communities' ability to obtain legal recognition and operate their institutions.
A wider African concern
The AACC's closing statement called for religious freedom to move beyond academic discussion and toward practical action.
The Rev. Lesmore Ezekiel, speaking on behalf of Mwombeki, urged participants to “seek justice for the oppressed,” drawing on Isaiah 1:16-17.
The conference brought together theologians, church leaders and other participants to examine religious persecution, state authority and the responsibilities of churches in defending human dignity.
The wider challenge for African churches and governments is ensuring that constitutional commitments to freedom of religion are reflected in the laws and administrative processes that determine whether religious communities can obtain official recognition and establish places of worship.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Three men sentenced to death for kidnapping of priests in Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/three-men-sentenced-to-death-for-kidnapping-of-priests-in-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/three-men-sentenced-to-death-for-kidnapping-of-priests-in-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5484.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Adamawa State High Court of Justice in Yola, Nigeria.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Facebook ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Adamawa State High Court of Justice in Yola, Nigeria. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Three men who kidnapped two Catholic priests were sentenced to death on Thursday (Oct. 22) in northeastern Nigeria for the 2025 abductions, including a member of the priests’ parish.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Three men who kidnapped two Catholic priests were sentenced to death on Thursday (Oct. 22) in northeastern Nigeria for the 2025 abductions, including a member of the priests’ parish.
The Adamawa State High Court of Justice in Yola delivered the sentence to Taledo Demiel, Namomai Medan and Mikaila Yusuf for abducting the Rev. Matthew Dutsemi and the Rev. Abraham Sauman from St. Anne Catholic Church, Gweda-Mallam, Numan County, on Feb. 22, 2025. The priests were held captive for 15 days in Demiel’s house before being rescued by security agents of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s intelligence agency, with no ransom paid. 
The DSS had arrested the three men as they were about to receive ransom payments, and they were charged with criminal conspiracy to commit kidnapping, armed robbery, harboring kidnapped persons and negotiating ransom for the release of Dutsemi and Sauman. 
Demiel was an altar servant in the priests’ church, said the Rev. Moses Idris, a Catholic priest.
“I have always been wondering how the kidnappers got information about priests,” Idris told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “It is indeed vivid now that the connection is from within, which is very unfortunate.”
Judge Christopher Dominic Mapeo of the Adamawa State High Court of Justice sentenced the three men after they were convicted of criminal conspiracy to commit kidnapping, armed robbery, harboring kidnapped persons and negotiating ransom for the release of the two priests. They were also sentenced to 14 years for conspiracy to kidnap, 21 years each for armed robbery and 20 years for harboring a kidnapped person. 
The parish priest of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Sugu, in Adamawa state’s Ganye County, identified only as the Rev. Ebuka, recalled that the priests were rescued on March 8, 2025.
“This case brings us face to face with some difficult questions about crime, justice and human life,” Ebuka said. “A society must be able to protect the innocent, hold people accountable for their actions and reflect seriously on the principles by which it administers justice. Perhaps one of the greatest tragedies is that families can still be forced to negotiate for the safe return of their loved ones. And one of our greatest responsibilities is to work towards a society where such fear becomes increasingly rare.”
The judgment brought to seven the number of death sentences in Nigeria in 2026, security officials told the Premium Times. On May 20, the Ekiti State High Court sentenced Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar to death for kidnapping. On June 3, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men to death by hanging over their involvement in the June 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state, which killed scores of worshippers.
The Katsina State High Court sentenced Hauwa’u Mukhtar to death on June 15, and Kogi State High Court sentenced Jibrin Halilu to death the following day for kidnapping and murdering his neighbor, Premium Times reported. On June 22, Sokoto State High Court sentenced three men – Muhammed Yusuf Sallau, Jabbi Ahlaji Yale and Kabiru Muhammed – to death for terrorism-related offenses and transporting arms.
On Sept. 28, the Sokoto State High Court sentenced Ibrahim Usman, also known as Dan Iyali, to death over his involvement in the killing of three kidnapped persons.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[African faith leaders discuss AI safety and ethics at Nairobi roundtable]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/african-faith-leaders-discuss-ai-safety-and-ethics-at-nairobi-roundtable</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/african-faith-leaders-discuss-ai-safety-and-ethics-at-nairobi-roundtable</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5461.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Faith AI Covenant Nairobi]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ x/pthigio ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ The gathering in Nairobi was the third roundtable under the Faith-AI Covenant, an international initiative seeking to bring religious leaders and technology developers together to establish ethical principles for artificial intelligence. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2026 07:05:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[African Christian, Muslim and interfaith leaders joined technology experts and policymakers in Nairobi to discuss how artificial intelligence could affect young people's well-being, contribute to radicalization and shape the representation of African languages and values in digital systems.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
African Christian, Muslim and interfaith leaders joined technology experts and policymakers in Nairobi to discuss how artificial intelligence could affect young people's well-being, contribute to radicalization and shape the representation of African languages and values in digital systems.
The gathering on Oct. 13 was the third roundtable under the Faith-AI Covenant, an international initiative seeking to bring religious leaders and technology developers together to establish ethical principles for artificial intelligence.
Participants included representatives of the All Africa Conference of Churches and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, alongside Christian, Muslim and interfaith leaders, academics, civil society representatives and technology specialists.
The discussions focused on how faith communities and technology companies could work together to protect children, support young people's development and prevent artificial intelligence from being exploited to spread extremist messages.
The meeting was organized by the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities in partnership with Precognition, a London-based firm working in artificial intelligence and emerging technology.
One of the meeting's central themes was the influence of interactive digital environments on young people’s identities, relationships and moral development.
Organizers said discussions explored how artificial intelligence could be used to facilitate radicalization and what pastoral, technical and community-based interventions might help address the risks.
The meeting also examined AI’s effects on children’s emotional well-being, including the safeguards needed to ensure educational applications support healthy development.
Faith leaders, educators, technology developers and civil society groups were identified as having a shared responsibility in developing protections for children and young people.
Baroness Joanna Shields, chief executive of Precognition and co-chair of the Faith-AI Covenant, said artificial intelligence was advancing faster than institutions and communities could adapt.
“AI is advancing faster than our institutions and communities can adapt,” Shields said.
She argued that the technology was changing how people understand themselves, their work and their purpose.
“The purpose of this Covenant is not to slow innovation, but to ensure it is guided by conscience,” she said. “African voices are critical in helping define the values these systems carry, so dignity and resilience are designed in from the outset.”
African languages and local values
The roundtable also raised questions about whose languages, cultural experiences and ethical priorities are reflected in artificial intelligence systems.
Many AI models are developed using large collections of data, but the availability and quality of training material vary considerably across languages. Participants discussed the importance of ensuring African languages and local perspectives are represented as the technology develops.
The organizers said the discussions considered Kenya’s National AI Strategy 2025-2030 and the practical challenges of introducing ethical safeguards and human oversight in African settings.
Dana Humaid, chief executive of the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities and a co-chair of the initiative, said African faith leaders and technology specialists wanted technological development to advance alongside religious moderation and interfaith cooperation.
The Covenant draws partly on the United Arab Emirates' approach to combining investment in artificial intelligence with efforts to promote religious moderation and peaceful coexistence.
The Nairobi meeting brought together several prominent religious figures, including Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, archbishop emeritus of Abuja, and Bishop Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa of Ankole. 
Other participants included Ambassador Mussie Hailu of the United Religions Initiative for Africa, Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa of Nigeria’s Interfaith Mediation Centre and Dr. Mustafa Yusuf Ali of Arigatou International in Nairobi.
Technology and policy organizations represented included IBM Research Africa, Qhala, Indigenius AI, Vambo AI and the Africa AI Council.
No covenant adopted yet
Despite its name, the Faith-AI Covenant has not yet been launched as a completed set of commitments. The initiative is developing shared principles and voluntary pledges through a series of international roundtables.
The Nairobi gathering followed earlier meetings in New York and Paris. Further discussions are planned in Asia before the Covenant’s launch in Abu Dhabi in 2027, according to its organizers.
The initiative aims to develop principles that protect human dignity, strengthen social trust and promote the common good while allowing technological innovation to continue.
Its next challenge will be translating broad ethical concerns into practical commitments that religious institutions, technology companies and policymakers can implement.
The Nairobi meeting did not announce a binding agreement or a specific policy change. Its immediate contribution was to bring African faith leaders and technology specialists into discussions about the social and ethical consequences of artificial intelligence.
As AI becomes more widely used for education, communication and personal guidance, the initiative's organizers argue that African religious communities should have a voice in determining how the technology develops and how its risks are addressed.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Slain Christian harbored converts in western Uganda]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/slain-christian-harbored-converts-in-western-uganda</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/slain-christian-harbored-converts-in-western-uganda</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5455.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Benjamin Kule Mayani was killed in western Uganda on Sept. 29, 2026.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Morning Star News ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Benjamin Kule Mayani was killed in western Uganda on Sept. 29, 2026. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2026 11:43:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A Christian returning from an evangelistic outreach was killed on Sept. 29 in western Uganda when he and a colleague were attacked by three Muslims, including one upset that his sister had converted to Christianity, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A Christian returning from an evangelistic outreach was killed on Sept. 29 in western Uganda when he and a colleague were attacked by three Muslims, including one upset that his sister had converted to Christianity, sources said.
Benjamin Kule Mayani, a 45-year-old teacher at Excellent Nursery and Primary School and a resident of Kasokero village in Kyondo Sub-County, Kasese District, was attacked at about midnight on Sept. 29 in Karambi Cell, Kisinga Town Council.
Mayani and his colleague Pascal Muhindo had received a telephone call from a man identified as Isifu Marjani who asked to meet Mayani at the school where he taught, according to an elder in the Anglican Church in western Uganda who spoke by phone with Muhindo, a member of his church, shortly after the attack.
Mayani and Muhindo were about two kilometers from the school when Marjani and two other Muslims intercepted them, said the elder, unidentified for security reasons, based on his conversation with Muhindo.
The Muslims questioned Mayani about the whereabouts of a woman identified as Sharifa, Marjani’s sister, who had converted to Christianity, the elder said, adding that the assailants continued questioning Mayani and Muhindo about Sharifa before one of them struck Mayani on the head with a large stick.
Muhindo fled to seek help from nearby residents.
Mayani had previously housed Sharifa and other Muslim converts to Christianity in his home later moving her to another home for security concerns, the elder said.
When Muhindo and residents returned to the scene, they found Mayani had been killed, the elder said.
The incident was reported to Kisinga police station, where police registered a murder case. Detectives examined and documented the crime scene, recorded statements from witnesses and recovered exhibits for forensic analysis.
Rwenzori East Police Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Elly Maate said Mayani and Muhindo were returning from Kisinga Town when they were attacked by the three men. Police said the attackers struck Mayani on the forehead with a blunt object, seriously injuring him, and he collapsed a few meters from the scene and died.
Mayani’s body was taken to Bwera Hospital for a postmortem examination.
Police said investigations are continuing as detectives work to identify those responsible.
The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Bible App use surges across Africa as Senegal, Zimbabwe record 72% growth]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/bible-app-use-surges-across-africa-as-senegal-zimbabwe-record-72-growth</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/bible-app-use-surges-across-africa-as-senegal-zimbabwe-record-72-growth</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5430.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[YouVersion App in Africa]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ YouVersion ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ The daily user growth is part of a broader surge in digital Bible engagement across Sub-Saharan Africa, where daily use of YouVersion’s apps rose by 63% during the year. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2026 05:44:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Daily engagement with the Bible is growing sharply across parts of Africa, with Senegal and Zimbabwe recording a 72% increase in use of YouVersion’s Family of Apps during 2026, according to figures released by the Bible technology ministry.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Daily engagement with the Bible is growing sharply across parts of Africa, with Senegal and Zimbabwe recording a 72% increase in use of YouVersion’s Family of Apps during 2026, according to figures released by the Bible technology ministry. 
The daily user growth is part of a broader surge in digital Bible engagement across Sub-Saharan Africa, where daily use of YouVersion’s apps rose by 63% during the year. The growth far exceeded the 13% increase recorded globally, with YouVersion reporting 18.5 million people now using its apps each day.
The figures place several African countries among the fastest-growing markets highlighted by YouVersion in its 2026 data.
Senegal and Zimbabwe recorded the largest increases among the African countries, both rising by 72%. Ethiopia followed with a 52% increase, while the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 48%. The record growth in Senegal is significant considering that 85-95% of the population identify as Muslim with a less than 10% Christian population.  
Uganda saw daily engagement rise by 41%, Nigeria by 37% and Kenya by 36%. Ghana recorded a 33% increase, while Tunisia rose by 33%, Egypt by 20% and Morocco by 13%. South Africa recorded an 8% increase.
The African daily Bible app users also stand out against the wider global figures. Pakistan recorded a 51% increase while Vietnam recorded 44%. Other notable surges include Iraq 49%, Argentina 25% and Mexico 18%.
YouVersion cautions through the presentation of its data that the map highlights countries with notable growth rather than providing a complete ranking of every country in the world. The African figures nevertheless show the continent emerging as one of the strongest areas of growth in daily digital Bible engagement.
According to YouVersion, Kenya began 2026 ranked fifth worldwide for daily Bible engagement and maintained that position throughout the year. Daily engagement in the country increased by 36%.
The number of Kenyans committed to reading through the Bible using the year plans also increased by nearly 50%. The country’s growth comes as YouVersion expanded its East Africa presence. In February 2026, the organization opened a regional hub in Nairobi to strengthen relationships with churches, ministries and content creators across Africa. At the time, YouVersion said Kenya was already one of its strongest markets for Bible engagement.
The scale of the growth is notable because they represent daily engagement, rather than simply the number of people downloading the app.
Globally, YouVersion added more than 160 million installs across its Family of Apps in 2026 after passing one billion installs in November 2025. Daily use increased faster than installations, reaching 18.5 million people each day. 
Turning to the Bible for answers
YouVersion said searches in Kenya included terms such as “anxiety”, “hope” and “healing”. Psalm 91 was the country’s most searched Bible verse during the year.
The pattern is particularly notable because Psalm 91 is centered on refuge and protection, while the other searches point to people using the Bible while seeking answers around emotional and personal concerns.
Still, the wider growth shows that Africans are increasingly returning to digital Scripture resources as part of their regular routines.
Bobby Gruenewald, founder and CEO of YouVersion, said it is encouraging to see “how many people are turning to Scripture for answers to their questions.” 
He said Global Bible Month, which returns in November, would provide an opportunity for more people to engage with Scripture through the 30-Day Bible Challenge.
Nearly 3 million people worldwide signed up for the challenge during its first year in 2025. This year's edition will include a feature allowing participants to track their progress and see how friends are engaging with the challenge.
In celebration of Global Bible Month, YouVersion will bring Scripture to some of the world’s most recognizable public spaces, including Times Square in New York, Piccadilly Circus in London and the Dotonbori District in Osaka, Japan. The activations will reach people in some of the world's busiest locations, bringing Scripture into everyday life.
African voices are becoming more prominent
YouVersion’s growth in Africa is also being accompanied by an effort to increase locally produced and culturally relevant Bible content.
The Family of Apps now provides access to more than 3,800 Bible versions in 2,400 languages. YouVersion says it works with more than 45,000 churches and content partners globally, including more than 2,600 churches and partners in Africa. 
“People have loved seeing faces they know, hearing voices they trust locally and finding contexts, and even accents, they can relate to,” Gachira said.
That localization is becoming increasingly important as YouVersion expands its network of regional hubs. The organization already has hubs in Kenya and South Africa, among other countries, and plans to open a hub in Nigeria before the end of 2026. 
The growth also comes as African Christian publishers and ministries increasingly use digital platforms to distribute Bible reading plans and other discipleship resources. 
A September initiative involving YouVersion East Africa, for example, brought together 17 African Christian authors from three countries through a collection of 18 Bible reading plans.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Insecurity, foreign funding gaps pose challenges to Bible translation in Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/insecurity-foreign-funding-gaps-pose-challenges-to-bible-translation-in-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/insecurity-foreign-funding-gaps-pose-challenges-to-bible-translation-in-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5443.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Bible Translation]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Wycliffe ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ According to NBTT, Nigeria has more than 600 minority languages, many of which still require attention through Bible translation and broader language development. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:41:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Insecurity, inadequate funding and a shortage of trained language specialists are hampering efforts to translate the Bible into Nigeria’s indigenous languages, the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) has warned.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Insecurity, inadequate funding and a shortage of trained language specialists are hampering efforts to translate the Bible into Nigeria’s indigenous languages, the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) has warned.
The organization’s Executive Director, Patience Toma, said some translators working in rural communities had been killed, while insecurity had forced residents to flee their homes and disrupted translation projects.
Speaking in Jos, Plateau state, on Oct. 12 during activities marking the organization’s golden jubilee, Toma called on the federal government to strengthen security in rural areas so translators and language development workers could continue their work.
“We have translators working in rural communities, and insecurity has affected the work in those areas. Some translators have been killed, although we do not have official statistics on the number of casualties,” she said, according to The Evangelist News.
Toma did not provide details about the identities of the translators killed or the circumstances of their deaths. The organization’s lack of official casualty figures also means the scale of the losses remains unclear.
She urged authorities to ensure security personnel were deployed in rural communities where language workers operate.
The warning highlights how insecurity can disrupt work that extends beyond producing religious texts to include documenting indigenous languages, developing writing systems and supporting literacy programs.
Foreign funding sustains translation work
Funding is another major challenge. Toma said approximately 95% of the resources available for Bible translation in Nigeria came from outside the country, largely from Western nations.
She urged Nigerian churches, individuals and local institutions to take greater responsibility for supporting the work, warning that dependence on foreign contributions raised questions about its long-term sustainability.
“We need Nigerians, churches and local institutions to show greater interest in supporting Bible translation. It is important that we take responsibility for the languages and communities that we serve,” she said.
The funding challenge comes alongside shortages of translators, consultants and linguists, which the organization identified as obstacles to expanding its projects.
According to NBTT, Nigeria has more than 600 minority languages, many of which still require attention through Bible translation and broader language development.
The organization says its work includes studying local languages, analyzing their sounds and grammar, developing alphabets and dictionaries, and translating Scripture. It also produces literacy materials to help preserve languages and enable communities to read and write in their mother tongues.
Translation and language preservation
For minority language communities, translation work can provide written materials in languages used in homes and local communities, including languages that have limited published resources.
The work can also help establish writing systems and document vocabulary and grammar, creating resources that may be used in literacy education and other community activities.
NBTT said funding constraints and shortages of skilled personnel continued to limit the expansion of translation projects and related literacy programs.
The organization urged mission agencies and language development groups to make greater use of digital technology and artificial intelligence to reach younger generations.
“Social media and digital technology, including artificial intelligence, have come to stay. We must learn to use them positively to reach the younger generation through languages and formats they understand,” Toma said.
The organization’s comments did not identify specific projects already using artificial intelligence or quantify how much the technology might reduce translation costs.
Church leaders call for renewed commitment
Also speaking at the anniversary, Job Ayuba Bagat Mallam, president of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), described Bible translation as an important part of Christian evangelism in Nigeria and beyond.
He said people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds needed access to Scripture in languages they could understand.
“How can people really create an encounter, understand and respond to the gospel if the Word of God remains inaccessible to them in the language they can understand?” he asked.
Mallam commended the missionaries, translators, church leaders and partner organizations that had sustained the work over the decades. He also urged NBTT and its partners to adapt to changes in language, communication and technology rather than treating the anniversary solely as a celebration of past achievements.
“Fifty years is a milestone, but it is not a destination,” he said.
He reaffirmed ECWA’s commitment to working with NBTT and other partners to advance Bible translation, evangelism and Christian discipleship.
Toma said the organization’s anniversary should serve as a reminder that the work remained unfinished. She called on younger people to take up leadership roles in language development, information technology and missionary work.
“The future of Bible translation cannot depend upon those who began the work 50 years ago,” she said.
She also highlighted the continuing need for language documentation, stronger literacy programs and the adoption of emerging technologies.
NBTT says that the next stage of the work will require stronger local participation and new approaches to communication if more Nigerians are to gain access to Scripture in their own languages.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Ghana church body urges protection of mission schools’ religious identity]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ghana-church-body-urges-protection-of-mission-schools-religious-identity</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ghana-church-body-urges-protection-of-mission-schools-religious-identity</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5445.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Mission schools in Ghana]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Mampong Methodist Primary ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Methodist Church Ghana said the proposed reforms should protect students’ constitutional rights without undermining the legitimate religious character of mission schools ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:12:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Christian Council of Ghana has called for constitutional reforms to protect the religious identity of mission-founded schools while safeguarding students’ freedom of religion, as debate intensifies over how faith-based institutions should operate with government support.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Christian Council of Ghana has called for constitutional reforms to protect the religious identity of mission-founded schools while safeguarding students’ freedom of religion, as debate intensifies over how faith-based institutions should operate with government support.
The Council made its position known at a forum organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs in Accra on Oct. 5, where participants discussed recommendations by Ghana’s Constitutional Review Committee on religious freedom and education.
The Most Rev. Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, immediate past presiding bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, said the proposed reforms should protect students’ constitutional rights without undermining the legitimate religious character of mission schools, according to the Ghana News Agency.
Boafo said Article 25 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution guarantees the right to education, while Article 21 protects freedom of thought, conscience, belief and religion.
The Council welcomed recommendations to strengthen protections against religious discrimination in school admissions, boarding arrangements, discipline, student leadership and participation in school activities. However, it maintained that schools should retain the freedom to preserve their religious traditions, provided these do not infringe students’ constitutional rights.
The appeal comes amid renewed national debate over the responsibilities of churches that founded and continue to manage schools receiving public funding.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, national chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress, separately backed calls for greater church involvement in managing mission schools, arguing that the founding religious bodies should retain a meaningful role in shaping their institutions.
Speaking at the centenary celebration of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sekyedumase on Oct. 3, he said, “The main driving force for religious bodies to invest in the building of schools is the need for their members to bring up their children in the core beliefs and discipline of their faith.”
Nketiah emphasised that government financial support should not automatically deprive churches of their role in preserving the identity of schools they established.
“The fact that most of the so-called Grade 'A' schools are mission schools implies that there is something they are doing right which must be encouraged rather than diluted,” he said.
He also maintained that parents and students make a choice when applying to a particular school and should understand its disciplinary requirements. His remarks add political weight to the debate, although they do not in themselves establish the government’s formal position on the proposed constitutional changes.
The Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations seek to balance institutional religious identity with individual freedom of conscience. They propose that mission-assisted schools retain chaplaincies, religious symbols and their distinctive ethos while ensuring that participation in worship and doctrinal instruction is voluntary.
The proposals also call for protections against religious discrimination in admissions, boarding access, discipline and student leadership. They envisage alternatives for students who do not participate in worship, alongside oversight mechanisms to address complaints and prevent coercion.
The recommendations have prompted concern among some church leaders, who fear that restrictions on established religious practices could weaken the spiritual and moral foundations of mission education.
In a November 2025 joint statement, the Christian Council and the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference argued that the churches’ historical contribution to education should be recognized alongside students’ rights. They maintained that government assistance does not automatically transfer ownership or religious identity to the state.
The dispute has also involved Muslim students and families who have raised concerns about alleged restrictions on Islamic practices in Christian mission schools, including fasting and prayer. Those concerns have featured prominently in the legal dispute involving Wesley Girls’ Senior High School.
The competing positions have highlighted the challenge of accommodating religious diversity in institutions founded to provide education within a particular faith tradition, especially when those institutions receive public resources.
Addressing tensions
Ghana has already taken steps toward addressing the tensions. The National Peace Council launched a memorandum of understanding on religious tolerance in government-assisted and private mission schools in September 2025. The framework was intended to guide relations between schools and students from different religious backgrounds and promote peaceful coexistence.
In February 2026, an education director called for stronger religious tolerance in schools during a sensitization workshop on the agreement, according to the Ghana News Agency.
The latest appeal therefore raises questions about whether existing guidelines are sufficient or whether further constitutional and legal safeguards are needed to clarify the relationship between religious freedom, public funding and mission-school autonomy.
The Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations form part of a broader review of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution. The government presented its position on the committee’s proposals in July 2026 and subsequently established a Constitution Review Implementation Committee to examine the recommendations and develop an implementation framework.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Pastors face death threats in refugee camp in South Sudan]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/pastors-face-death-threats-in-refugee-camp-in-south-sudan</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/pastors-face-death-threats-in-refugee-camp-in-south-sudan</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/41/4181.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Location of Gorom Refugee Settlement in South Sudan.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Map data © 2026 Google ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Location of Gorom Refugee Settlement in South Sudan. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:40:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Two Sudanese pastors at a refugee camp in South Sudan have been facing death threats since an attack by Muslim extremists earlier this year, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Two Sudanese pastors at a refugee camp in South Sudan have been facing death threats since an attack by Muslim extremists earlier this year, sources said.
The concerns of the two pastors from Sudan’s Darfur Region heightened on Sept. 25, when a man lingered for about 30 minutes outside the home of one, Pastor Drij Haruon Khamis, at the Gorom Refugee Resettlement camp 26 kilometers (16 miles) southwest of Juba, at 9 p.m.
Believed to have been sent by the Muslim extremists who injured Pastor Khamis’ leg in an attack on him at his church site in the camp in May, the man communicated with others on his mobile phone as he seemed to be monitoring the pastor, sources said. Pastor Khamis notified police, who arrived and arrested the man; he is still into custody, he said.
Prior to the assault in May, Muslim extremists in the camp had issued threats to Pastor Khamis and Pastor Adel Idris, both leaders with the Darfur Christian Council. Police questioning the man learned that he did represent a threat, and Pastor Khamis and others on Sept. 27 informed the Darfur Christian Council and their church of the death threats and requested prayer, he said.
“This has made us fear for our lives, as we do not know what the coming days hold for us,” Pastor Khamis told Morning Star News. “There are a lot of fears, but we believe that God will take control. Glory be to God.”
The situation has caused anxiety among camp Christians from Darfur as many of them are converts from Islam, prompting calls for authorities to step in and ensure their safety.
Muslim extremists, encouraged by the imam of a mosque in the camp, view the church’s evangelistic efforts as a threat to Islam within the settlement.
Other refugees from Sudan’s Darfur Region have also faced hostilities since putting their faith in Christ, as well as rejection by their relatives in Darfur.
While South Sudan’s constitution provides for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert, communal and familial pressure remains high within refugee populations originating from more restrictive regions.
In Sudan, apostasy was long punishable by death until the law was abolished in 2020. Cultural and extremist attitudes regarding conversion, however, often persist across borders, leaving converts vulnerable to “honor” killings or mob violence.
Church leaders in the Gorom camp are calling for increased protection for Christian converts and are seeking ways to provide basic necessities for those displaced by faith-based persecution. The camp has suffered shortages of food, water and healthcare since its population has swollen to more than five times its capacity.
The U.N.-supported camp was established in 2010 for about 2,500 Ethiopian refugees fleeing conflict. It has since grown significantly in response to regional crises, by August 2023 housing more than 10,000 people, including new arrivals from Sudan.
Anti-Sudanese violence in Juba in January 2025 drove more than 6,800 Sudanese refugees to Gorom, bringing its population to more than 22,000 by April 2025.
Sudan is 93 percent Muslim, with adherents of ethnic traditional religion 4.3 percent of the population, while Christians constitute 2.3 percent, according to Joshua Project.
Sudan was ranked No. 4 among the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian in Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List (WWL). Sudan had dropped out of the top 10 of the WWL list for the first time in six years when it first ranked No. 13 in 2021.
The U.S. State Department in 2019 removed Sudan from the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) that engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom” and upgraded it to a watch list. Sudan had previously been designated as a CPC from 1999 to 2018.
In December 2020, the State Department removed Sudan from its Special Watch List.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Christian humanitarian worker slain in northwest Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-humanitarian-worker-slain-in-northwest-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-humanitarian-worker-slain-in-northwest-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5425.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Nigerian Red Cross Society tribute to Lydia Nwankwo, slain in Sokoto state, Nigeria on Oct. 6, 2026.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Facebook ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Nigerian Red Cross Society tribute to Lydia Nwankwo, slain in Sokoto state, Nigeria on Oct. 6, 2026. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:38:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a Christian woman volunteering with the Nigerian Red Cross Society in an Oct. 6 attack on her team’s vehicle in Sokoto state, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a Christian woman volunteering with the Nigerian Red Cross Society in an Oct. 6 attack on her team’s vehicle in Sokoto state, sources said.
Lydia Nwankwo, 30, was shot dead at around 7 p.m. when her team’s vehicle came under fire on the Kajiji-Shagari road in Shagari County, relatives said.
“Bandits opened fire on their vehicle,” her sister, Chisom Nwankwo, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “Lydia was shot in the chest and died on the spot. Her body was brought home in a Hilux vehicle at about 11 p.m. that night.”
Another sister, Victoria Nwankwo, said that, along with the Red Cross, Lydia Nwankwo was working with a development partner supporting the Sokoto State Ministry of Health.
“Lydia did not die because she was rich. She did not die because she was a politician. She died because she chose to go where others refused to go,” Victoria Nwankwo told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “She left the comfort of her home to serve vulnerable communities in hard-to-reach areas in Sokoto. She was there to help mothers, children and the sick. She was there to bring health, food, and hope.”
Chisom Nwankwo said her sister was “was engaged in assisting people affected by waves of terrorist attacks in Sokoto state.”
“Lydia was returning from field operations in Kajiji community, Shagari Local Government Area,” Chisom Nwankwo said. “Her team of five were ambushed around 7 p.m. on the Kajiji-Shagari road, after they had carried out field work in Tambuwal Local Government Area.”
Area resident Suleiman Ayuba told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News that Lydia Nwankwo was shot dead by “Muslim jihadists.”
“She was a Christian humanitarian worker,” Ayuba said. “She and her team, were on the way back from field work with a partner that supports the Sokoto State Ministry of Health when they were attacked.”
The Sokoto State Red Cross Society issued a press statement saying Lydia Nwankwo died in a “bandit attack.”
“The Nigerian Red Cross Society, Sokoto South Division, is in deep mourning following the tragic passing of its volunteer, Lydia Chinenye Nwankwo,” the society’s Bello Bawa said. “Lydia was a committed humanitarian who dedicated her time to serving vulnerable communities. We condole with her family, friends and the entire Red Cross family. May her gentle soul rest in peace.”
Police in Sokoto state issued a statement saying only, “We are aware of the incident, but investigations are ongoing,” though there were also reports of a police inspector being killed in the incident, as well as other attacks in Shagari County.
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year.
Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Islamic Terrorists Attack Three Villages in Northeast Nigeria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/islamic-terrorists-attack-three-villages-in-northeast-nigeria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/islamic-terrorists-attack-three-villages-in-northeast-nigeria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International / Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5417.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Location of Adamawa state in Nigeria.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ User:Profoss, Uwe Dedering, Creative Commons ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Location of Adamawa state in Nigeria. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:26:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Suspected Islamic terrorists attacked three predominantly Christian villages in Adamawa state, Nigeria, on Thursday (Oct. 8), killing at least one person and torching at least one church building, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Suspected Islamic terrorists attacked three predominantly Christian villages in Adamawa state, Nigeria, on Thursday (Oct. 8), killing at least one person and torching at least one church building, sources said.
The assailants attacked Tela-Bala, Guyaku and Sabon Gari villages in Gombi County, said area resident Wreforce Hassan Usman.
“I woke up this morning with a broken heart as Boko Haram attacked some our Christian communities in Gombi,” Usman said in a text message to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The attacks resulted in the burning of churches, houses, shops, hospitals and other valuable properties, as well as the tragic killing of some of our people.”
The terrorists killed one person and set a church building on fire in Tela-Bala, Guyaku District, according to Sahara Reporters, adding that a car and other property was burned.
Usman told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News that growing insecurity in Gombi County is alarming and requires urgent and decisive government intervention.
“This is deeply painful and unacceptable,” he said. “Our people deserve to live in peace, sleep without fear, and go about their daily activities without the threat of violence. How many more lives must be lost before this situation receives the serious attention it deserves? Our people are crying for help, and we cannot afford to remain silent while our communities continue to suffer. Our people deserve peace. Our communities deserve protection. And our government must act now.”
Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reached area resident Hossana Dauda late at night on Thursday (Oct. 8).
“Pray for my village, Tela-Bala, and other villages, Guyaku and Sabon Gari, that are now being attacked by Boko Haram and ISWAP [Islamic State West Africa Province] terrorists,” she said in a text message. “God have mercy on my people.”
Area resident Dishon Balda said Guyaku village was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists.
“The attack resulted in loss of lives, damage to important community facilities, including a church, residential houses, and a clinic,” Balda told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and security of residents and the destruction of essential facilities that serve the community. The people of Guyaku need urgent attention, adequate security, and support to help them recover from this unfortunate incident.”
He called on the relevant authorities to investigate, strengthen security and provide the necessary assistance to the affected residents.
Boko Haram, officially known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, seeks to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria. The jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria saw a split in 2016 that resulted in the emergency of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The name Boko Haram was long translated at “Western education is forbidden,” but the group says it should be translated as “Western civilization is forbidden.” Boko Haram insurgents believe other Muslims who do not join their jihad are infidels and thus justify killing them as well as “apostates.” This position is considered part of strict Salafi jihadism but not mainstream Islam.
A legislator in the Adamawa State House of Assembly representing Gombi, Rufa’i Umar, said in a press statant on Friday (Oct. 9) that area residents deserve to live in peace without fear.
“This is indeed a very sad moment for all of us,” Umar said. “I share in your grief and I stand with you during this painful period. The loss of innocent lives is a loss to all of us in Gombi. I call on the government and all relevant security agencies to urgently strengthen security architecture around Gombi Local Government Area to prevent a recurrence of such tragedy.”
Unidentified terrorists had attacked Tela-Bala in April. Sahara Reporters cited Adamawa Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as confirming 29 people were killed who had gathered to watch a football (soccer) match.
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year.
Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Christian animation film is giving children in Nigeria a new way to encounter and share the gospel]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-animation-film-is-giving-children-in-nigeria-a-new-way-to-encounter-and-share-the-gospel</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-animation-film-is-giving-children-in-nigeria-a-new-way-to-encounter-and-share-the-gospel</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5407.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Light of the World Animation]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Salvation Poem Foundation ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Salvation Poem Project, which created Light of the World, says the film and its resources are being made available to partners around the world, with the film now available in 32 languages. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 15:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[In a simple room in Nigeria, children sat on a dirt floor watching the story of Jesus unfold on a screen. The room had cinder-block walls and a metal roof. There was nothing elaborate about the setting. But as the children watched Light of the World, an animation retelling the life of Jesus, something happened that the ministry behind the film says it will not forget.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
In a simple room in Nigeria, children sat on a dirt floor watching the story of Jesus unfold on a screen. The room had cinder-block walls and a metal roof. There was nothing elaborate about the setting. But as the children watched Light of the World, an animation retelling the life of Jesus, something happened that the ministry behind the film says it will not forget.
In a scene, young John, the main character, knelt and led his father in a prayer to begin a relationship with Jesus. Then the children in the room began to kneel too. According to the ministry, 60 children responded to the invitation to follow Jesus during that screening.
The number comes from the ministry's account of the screening, but the scene itself captures what the creators of Light of the World hoped the film could accomplish when they set out to tell the story of Jesus through the eyes of a child.
It was one of four locations where Pastor Monday Edoziem showed Light of the World in Nigeria during the same weekend after receiving access to the film.
Edoziem is a pastor and Executive Director of the Nigeria Children’s Ministers Association, an organization focused on ministry to children across the country. For him, the film offered more than something for children to watch. It provided a way to present the story of Jesus in a format designed to capture a child's attention and imagination.
That is at the heart of Light of the World. The 2025 animated film tells the story of Jesus through the eyes of John, portrayed as a young person who encounters Jesus and becomes one of his followers. The filmmakers deliberately chose this perspective as a way of making the biblical story accessible to a younger audience. 
The film uses traditional 2D animation and follows Jesus from the beginning of his ministry through his crucifixion and resurrection.
The approach gives children a character through whom they can experience the story.
Rather than beginning with a distant historical account, the film places viewers alongside a young John as he encounters Jesus, his disciples and the events surrounding Jesus’ ministry.
That child-centered approach has also shaped the resources developed around the film.
The Salvation Poem Project, which created Light of the World, provides churches with a free seven-week children's ministry curriculum built around scenes from the movie. The material includes teaching plans, videos, Scripture memorization resources, activities and lessons designed to help parents continue conversations with their children at home.
A church can use a scene from the movie as the starting point for a lesson. Parents can continue the discussion at home. Teachers and ministry leaders can use the accompanying material to connect what children have seen on screen with the biblical account.
The ministry says the film and its resources are being made available to partners around the world, with the film now available in 32 languages.
Nigeria has one of the world's largest Christian populations, while children and young people make up a substantial part of its population. Churches and Christian ministries therefore have a large audience of children to serve. But the resources available to those ministries can vary greatly, particularly between large urban churches and smaller community settings.
The setting of Edoziem’s screening is a reminder of that difference.
The children were not sitting in a cinema. They were gathered in a modest room with basic surroundings. Yet the same story presented on a large cinema screen could also be shared in a place with little more than a screen, a projector and a group of children willing to watch.
That accessibility is central to the project's stated purpose.
The film’s official ministry resources include free materials specifically created for churches and children’s ministries, allowing leaders to use the movie alongside lessons and family activities.
And for ministry leaders such as Edoziem, having the resource available without a cost creates another opportunity to take that story into places where children are already gathering.
Light of the World was made with a simple purpose: to give people an opportunity to encounter the story of Jesus.
In Nigeria, one weekend showed what that purpose can look like when the film reaches children not in a theater, but in a simple room, where they watch, listen and, in the words of the ministry's account, get down on the floor and pray.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
            </channel>
</rss>